Decision made: Omtzigt starts new party | BNR rightwing Radio |

(Former CDA) Independent Member of Parliament Pieter Omtzigt has made the long-awaited decision and announced that he will participate in the parliamentary elections on 22 November with a new political party. Under the name New Social Contract, Omtzigt is on the electoral list in November.

And that is a game changer, thinks political reporter Leendert Beekman. 'At least that's how it is experienced in political The Hague,' he says. 'We eagerly awaited the clarity around Omtzigt.'

"This is a game changer"

The reason it is a game changer is because Omtzigt 'has the gift' to conjure up voices from everywhere, Beekman expects. 'From the SP to the VVD, he appeals to all voters', says Beekman. 'All parties will therefore have to take Omtzigt and his new party into account.'

Brand awareness

Omtzigt's name recognition also plays a significant role. Beekman compares it to the brand awareness of the new CDA leader, Henri Bontenbal. 'That's important, because if people have to vote for you, they have to know who you are', Beekman continues. 'And if you start with a great name recognition, you really have an advantage over someone like Bontenbal.'

Governance culture

Although the party program is not yet completely finished, according to Beekman there are already two important points that Omtzigt - in the event of a possible election win - will get to work. 'The administrative culture, about which we have heard a lot from him, must change in The Hague', concludes Beekman. 'That then concerns the way in which the government communicates with politicians and citizens. Omtzigt may even want to adjust the electoral system.'

The second point is the social security of the Netherlands and its inhabitants.

Another subject that Omtzigt is known for, says Beekman. 'Think of the benefits scandal, of course,' he concludes. 'But he draws it wider; Omtzigt believes that there should be social security for everyone. In addition, he says that it is not appropriate that 400,000 are dependent on the food bank. Those are the points that stand out, and what Omtzigt wants to do further, we will have to read in the election program when it is available.'

There was little difference in Rutte IV cabinet policy and party program of the VVD, the distinction where Christian Democrats stood for vanished. Losing members and massive election losses, seems to have hit home ... much too late. The party of Dries Van Agt and Ruud Lubbers is no more ...

The new leader by default clearly opts to return to its centrist position ... a bit of the introduction by Bontenbal.

Our choice the center to bring people together

I attach great importance to the exemplary function of the House of Representatives. Our behavior matters. Many residents of the Netherlands have little faith in politicians, research shows time and time again. This has to do with the behavior in the House of Representatives. But also with fake news and conspiracy theories, the insults and full and half threats. It not only leads to an increasingly toxic political climate, but also to a society under high tension.

That is why the CDA deliberately opts for the middle: thorough, nuanced and substantiated. We do not magnify contradictions for our own gain, but always try to find connections and support for feasible solutions. We stand for a politics of the common good over the partial interests of groups. That is not boring, but much needed.

Ruud Lubbers already said that the political center is not an end in itself, but the concrete result of craftsmanship, advocacy and tolerance. That is our job as CDA. In the middle of the people. In the middle of every city and every village. In the middle of the associations and organizations that make our society possible. Midway between street and state. In the middle you don't have to shout, provoke or polarize to be heard. That's not our style.

Fortunately, most people are in that middle: a large silent majority, who do not watch a talk show every evening or are shouting loudly in the newspaper. They are the police officers on the street, the teachers in front of the classroom, the informal carers, the neighborhood fathers in the neighborhood and the volunteers behind the bar in the football canteen. The people who do the right thing by themselves and are not seen and recognized enough for that. The middle groups that support society and look after the other. We are there for them. Out of conviction and out of the realization that without them society would fall apart like loose sand.

If you are too busy with yourself, you don't see the other person enough. This has become painfully clear in recent years. That is why the problems of the Groningen people penetrated politically in The Hague so late. That is why the benefit parents were not seen for a long time. That is why Remkes had to be involved in seeing the desperation in the eyes of very reasonable people. Being seen: that is what large parts of our society have been missing.

That is also why we as CDA have started with living room conversations in the country. Out of sight of the cameras, our ministers and members of parliament go into the country to talk to people at home, and above all to listen.

That is why I called for a substantive election campaign. No political theatre, no blackening and shouting. Let all parties put their best ideas on the table. Then the voter can make a judgment on 22 November.

Het is niet de eerste keer dat demissionair premier Mark Rutte zich iets niet meer helemaal goed herinnert. Een compilatie. #Nieuwsuur pic.twitter.com/wrvrYXQXur

— Nieuwsuur (@Nieuwsuur) April 1, 2021

Translation:
It is not the first time that caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte does not remember something very well. A compilation.

All incidents of lies 🤥🤥 have been covered by me ... and many more 😡

'Sapere aude'

How do we avoid future authoritarians? Winning back the working class is key | Bernie Sanders [_link]

— Guardian Opinion (@guardianopinion) November 25, 2020

Present coalition loses 42 seats ... a bit late for me, but a clear total failure of Rutte IV ... a stretched out Rutte III. Is Brussels waiting for any of these flunked politicians?

Voters want these elections to be about the housing market

Many voters (45%) believe that the upcoming elections should be about the housing market (affordable housing, renting). Other socio-economic issues (health care, poverty alleviation, social services) are also frequently mentioned, as are immigration and asylum (all mentioned by a third party). Climate change drops to 5th position: 27% consider this important.

In July, we saw that immigration and asylum (at 36%) were - for the first time - the top topic for voters. That study was conducted shortly after the government fell over family reunification for asylum seekers, giving the subject momentum. In the meantime, both Omtzigt and Timmermans have presented themselves and they pay a lot of attention to socio-economic subjects such as social security, poverty, housing and care. This may explain why the top 5 already looks so different now than a month and a half ago: the political leaders use their spearheads to determine what the attention is focused on, voters are sensitive to this.

• NSC voters find the housing market the most important, followed by poverty reduction, health care and immigration/asylum.
• PvdA/GL voters mainly believe that the campaign should be about climate change, followed by poverty reduction and the housing market.
• VVD voters want to talk about immigration/asylum, housing, security and - more than other voters - economy/government finances.
• BBB voters attach the most importance to housing, healthcare and immigration.
  The subjects of agriculture, nature and nitrogen are not thorny issues at the moment.

Brawl during Nijmegen intro event is not an isolated incident

Three people have been arrested following a brawl that broke out at the introduction market for new students in Nijmegen. Members of the right-wing nationalist student organisation GNSV were injured in the incident.

Politics: Fascists welcome, communists banned

Information markets for first-year students always host all kinds of clubs, student corps and associations, as well as local branches of idealistic organisations eager to recruit new members. The same applies to political parties, which sometimes leads to political conflicts.

Last year, the Communist Youth Movement of The Netherlands was not welcome at the information market in Utrecht because it allegedly had the wrong position on the war in Ukraine. This turned out to be a misconception as it had actually condemned the Russian invasion. It received apologies from the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and Utrecht University, and are once again welcome this year.

On the other hand, the Forum for Democracy (FvD) did have a stand at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam market last year, which many people found objectionable. A local student union denounced the party as fascist, racist, Islamophobic and homophobic. Rector Jeroen Geurts was unaware that the FvD would have a stand there, but he was also unsure if he could ban the party. After all, GroenLinks was also there. Enquiries have confirmed that political parties are no longer allowed to be present at the information market at all anymore.

Lower tuition fees for Ukrainian refugees and students who already studied here

Normally, a higher fee applies to students from outside the European Economic Area, and therefore also to Ukrainian students. This amount differs per programme but is a minimum of €9,900 per year.

Specifically eligible are `students who have fled from Ukraine with a displaced person status on the basis of the European Temporary Protection Directive (this includes so-called third-country nationals) and students from Ukraine who at the time of the outbreak of the war were studying at one of the fourteen public Dutch universities and are currently still residing in the Netherlands'.

After over a year that suppliers would only offer contracts with "flexible" prices and screw consumers who had nowhere to go. The price cap offering is about at a three-fold level of January 2022 ... the extreme price of December 2021 was just behind us. Fortunately I got an offer for a 3-year contract mid-January 2022 ... so I could survive the price onslaught. In past three years, many house owners invested in solar panels at a rate leading Europe.

Stedin and TenneT should invest in the high-voltage grid ... they have not and supply is in a very bad shape. The large corporations and data centers for the Amazons, Alphabet, Google and Microsoft get priority on solar and wind energy at ridiculous low prices.

This summer the energy suppliers announced a surcharge of between €20 and €40 each month for homeowners with solar panels. They went further ... as there are offerings for multiple year energy contracts, except as soon as you check the box "solar panels" all offerings are limited to maximum one year contract with build in extra surcharge for returning electricity to the grid. Damn criminals ... this really infuriates me as there are no consumer rights or possibility to take this monopoly to court.  

Just before dismissal of Rutte IV, new legislation protects energy suppliers costing consumers their rights to shop for a better price ...

• Changes in the net metering law postponed until 2025
• New rules on termination penalty for energy contracts
• Q&A: the legal framework for renewable energy in Netherlands

If the corporate lobby in The Hague didn't do enough damage, these pricing demands will guarantee higher profits for the damn fossil fuel corporations and intermediaries.

• Energy firms slash compensation for solar panel owners | Dutch News - June 6, 2023 |
• Vandebron to charge customers fees for surplus solar power | Dutch News - Aug. 15, 2023 |

(1/2) Zonnepanelen blijven financieel aantrekkelijk, alleen iets minder dan voorheen. Overdag zijn de prijzen voor stroom die wordt geleverd door zonnepanelen vaak negatief. In het oude systeem werden deze kosten verdeeld onder alle klanten.

— Vandebron (@Vandebron) August 15, 2023

Eneco slashing rate paid for excess solar panel energy | NL Times - Aug. 24, 2023 |

Eneco is cutting the compensation for solar panel owners that feed electricity back into the power grid. From September 5, they'll get 9 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).

The compensation cut means that solar panel owners with an expensive energy contract will get hundreds of euros less per year for their excess energy. About a quarter of the 1.8 million households with solar panels annually generate 900 kWh more than they need.

Present offer for any new consumer contract is 40 cents per kWh. Per 1 January 2024, there will be no price cap at all .... fucking moron politicians Rutte IV in The Hague. These are mob practices ... extortion.

'Sapere aude'

Searching her qualifications in times of war ...

Peace In Europe Is History | Brussels New |

"Mommy, if Putin is going to use nuclear weapons, will they be the first to come to Brussels?". That question was asked by European Parliamentarian Esther de Lange (CDA). [loyal supporter of maelstrom in Brussels]

It was a tough week, the MEP and leader of the CDA in Europe tells Laurens Boven and Harmen van der Veen in podcast De Binnenkamer. "Each European generation had its own war, but that was a thing of the past until recently," she says.

A campaign letter

It is the reason that De Lange ever entered politics: to guard against the obviousness of a safe Europe, she says. Before a previous election campaign, she reluctantly wrote a public letter to her son about this. "You're four, and you're on vacation." While he plays on the beach in Normandy, she thinks of the liberation battle that took place there during the Second World War. "For your grandparents' generation, working together in Europe was primarily a matter of peace."

Peace and security

That conversation about peace war and security is now back, De Lange notes: "the conference on the Future of Europe suddenly takes on a completely different meaning".

What does it mean to be an MEP during a war? It is partly carrying out concrete actions, reviewing laws and partly symbolic politics. Even though Ukraine cannot immediately become a member of the EU, "the first answer is yes," says De Lange. "At the plenary meeting you want to show: Ukrainians are dying for European values".

Yet Ukraine cannot be unconditionally supported. It is too dangerous to involve the country in the European Union and NATO now, says De Lange. And when the Council of Ministers met to discuss the inclusion of refugees, a discussion arose about people who lived in Ukraine, but did not come from there. "We don't really want that, said a few member states," says De Lange.

Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius official party leader VVD Conservative, rightwing in Dutch politics. Mark Rutte is finishing as caretaker prime-minister hoping his dynasty of 13 years will be continued. His pro-business, pro-Nordic EU states, full support of NATO aggression on the Eastern Front, has ended in total chaos and failure. The EU got screwed into a NATO proxy war following a Blitzkrieg and bullying by U.S. President Biden.

Using immigration as a reason to upend Rutte IV after 18 months and the party believes immigration is a priority issue? NO it is not, it is a policy of dividing the nation, renew conflicts and open old wounds. Immigration was an issue of 2015 [see a courageous Angela Merkel] with the influx of millions of Syrian war refugees as NATO was supporting jihadists and foreign terrorists to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. Truly hope the anger of the Dutch masses will see her as a lying VVD leader  and send her party into opposition seats.

Many VVD voters will return to the party of Geert Wilders as Mark Rutte had adopted his main talking points. Both Dilan and Geert are strongly biased pro-Israel ... pro fascism. See my three part diaries in July ...

• VVD Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius Commits to Law & Order

 Excellent report from Berkeley 2022 ...

The Canadian Islamophobia Industry: Mapping Islamophobia's Ecosystem in the Great White North

'Sapere aude'

Omtzigt: Dismissal of Mona Keijzer by Rutte in violation of regulations | Politics - Sept. 26, 2021 |

The summary dismissal of CDA State Secretary Mona Keijzer (Economic Affairs and Climate), Mark Rutte, goes against the rules of procedure of the Council of Ministers. Something like that really only fits in a presidential system. That says former CDA member Pieter Omtzigt, who now forms a one-man faction in the House of Representatives.

Apparently a Prime Minister can pick up the phone and fire ministers and secretaries of state without a cabinet decision. Alone, by phone. But that's strange," Omtzigt said in a tweet. "The regulations are clear: the Prime Minister may propose resignation, but it is up to the Council of Ministers to deliberate and decide. So that didn't happen."

According to the Government Information Service (RVD), Rutte 'with the consent of the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, and after consultation with the three deputy prime ministers' nominated Keijzer for dismissal, with immediate effect. King Willem-Alexander subsequently dismissed the outgoing State Secretary 'in the most honorable way'.

• As Mark Rutte refuses to explain dismissal, party leader and FM Wopke Hoekstra explains Keizer's critical views on corona policy decisions of cabinet
• BBB leader Caroline van der Plas poses question in parliament to PM Rutte about summary dismissal

Mark Rutte: North's quiet rebel | Politico - June 8, 2018 |

The Dutch prime minister leads the backlash against pragmatic, prudent anti-populists. ⁉️ [ridiculous .. Rutte is the most effective leading opportunist in politics and populism - no political view for Dutch society]

Angela Merkel may have closed the coffin lid on Emmanuel Macron's EU reform plans, but it was Mark Rutte who dug the grave.

Before the chancellor said France (and the rest of the eurozone) could forget any lingering hope that Germany will pursue a great leap forward in eurozone integration, the Dutch prime minister was leading the charge against exactly the same thing.

He's assembled a group of like-minded, smaller EU nations wary of measures that could force them to ask more of their taxpayers. And as one of the EU's elder statesmen, Rutte's at the forefront.

Credited with breaking the populist wave by fending off his far-right challenger Geert Wilders in a national election last spring, Rutte, 51, has since emerged as the most prominent liberal voice on the European Council -- and a top contender to replace Donald Tusk as its president in 2019.

In the shorter term, however, the Dutch leader -- prime minister since 2010 -- needs allies now that the U.K. is heading out the door. With Brexit, the Netherlands is losing a partner it has long relied upon to uphold a free-trade, market-liberal, fiscally strict vision of the EU.

Rutte's solution: To forge links with Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania -- and push back against the French and the Germans.

Commentators have had great fun coming up with names for the Dutch-led alliance: the Hanseatic League 2.0; the North Sea Alliance; the Gang of Eight; the countries not occupied by the Roman Empire; Mark Rutte and the Seven Dwarves; the beer drinkers (as opposed to the wine drinkers of the south).

Dutch prime minister says more EU integration 'not the answer' | Politico - Dec. 2, 2017 |

Old local custom of neighbours helping one another "noaberschap" or "naburen" literally neighbour, people close-by.

"De gedachte van barmhartige hulpverlening bezielt daar heden nog in bijzondere gevallen de dorpsgemeenschap."

"The idea of compassionate assistance still inspires the village community in special cases."

The headlines picked up by national news broadcast indicates a swing to the extreme right ... limit for asylum seekers at 15,000 annually. Completely foolhardy and more extreme than both VVD under Mark Rutte and the PVV of Geert Wilders.

From Crisis In Trust to A State for Ordinary People [Dutch]

This choice will make competition on the right and far right in Dutch politics quite stiff. It will likely not expand the electorate of an estimated total of  70 seats ... close to 50% of Dutch parliament. In The Netherlands the space of AfD has already been well covered.

Quite disappointing for the new movement ... more negatives than bringing renewal and a return to progressive policy. The Dutch got stuck in xenophobia and Islamophobia ...  not mentioning Russophobia under Mark Rutte.

'Sapere aude'

In the speech by the King there was no mention of The Netherlands and the City of The Hague as the universal city of Peace.

Prepared speech to members of the nation's joint legislature the Senate and Lower House Parliament

1. Introduction

Members of the States General,

Ten years ago I was allowed to deliver the Speech from the Throne for the first time in your midst. Ten years that I look back on with gratitude. Some events were poignant and raw with sadness, such as the attack on flight MH17. At other times, emotion went hand in hand with healing and connection, such as this year on July 1, during the commemoration of the abolition of slavery. Of course I think of the corona period, which had such a profound impact on everyone's personal lives. And of course I think of the war in Ukraine. It is moments and events like this that will forever remain part of our history and that are etched in your and my memory.

In addition, there were the hundreds of heart-warming visits I was able to make throughout the Kingdom in these first ten years, with thousands of inspiring encounters. They made an unforgettable impression on me. Time and again, the Netherlands appears to be a country of enterprising and initiative-rich people who want to do good for and with each other, in connection with their neighbors, village, city, association or region.

It is the same deep connection that I felt again during my last visit to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. I am firmly convinced that the social fabric of our society deserves protection. There is a great unifying force in everything that people achieve together in the small, the everyday, the ordinary. Connection is created where people come together. This is not self-evident, but requires continued attention and commitment from all of us.

Anyone who looks at Dutch society from the outside sees at first glance an attractive country with good facilities and a strong economy, embedded in powerful international structures that protect and bring prosperity. But behind that positive image lies the permanent task to continue working on equality of opportunity, social security and prospects.

Not everyone takes a decent house, good health and a safe home situation for granted. Not every child gets the same opportunities for a good future and not every resident of our country feels heard and seen. There is still discrimination and racist exclusion in society. That is also why the processing of the history of slavery will remain high on the agenda throughout the Kingdom, especially after this commemoration year. So that after recognition and apology we can work together on healing, reconciliation and recovery.

2. The necessary happens

The outgoing status of the cabinet inevitably means restraint in making new proposals. The state of government finances and rising interest costs also force greater financial caution than in recent years. There are topics that require decisiveness in any case: the poverty issue, the recovery for benefit parents, the handling of the earthquake damage in Groningen, MH17 and support to Ukraine. In addition, the outgoing cabinet and the parliament share the responsibility to continue working on the other policy areas that affect us all, such as the construction of sufficient housing and good education. You can count on the government being prepared to do what is in the national interest, of course in good consultation and close coordination with you.

This means, first of all, that the government is taking approximately 2 billion euros in purchasing power measures to ensure that poverty does not increase. To prevent families with the lowest incomes from lagging behind in purchasing power in 2024, the housing allowance will increase. To combat child poverty, the child-related budget will be increased. The Energy Emergency Fund will also be extended, so that people who can no longer pay their energy bills have a safety net. In addition, the employed person's tax credit will be increased next year, so that working pays more. Extra money will be made available for the Caribbean Netherlands to combat poverty.

The cabinet's outgoing status should also not cause any delays in the handling of the benefits affair and the earthquake damage in Groningen. The government is doing everything it can to restore the suffering caused to people and families as effectively and as quickly as possible. In the benefits file, parents are given more control and more choices, so that they can move on with their lives more quickly. The residents of the earthquake area can count on that the agenda of damage repair and reinforcement, social measures and economic perspective will be implemented in good consultation.

3. Ukraine

Russia's brutal violence against the Ukrainian people in its illegal war of aggression against a sovereign neighboring country shows that achievements that seemed certain to us for decades are not. A battle is raging on Europe's eastern border for fundamental democratic and rule of law values. This battle also affects our own safety and future. Many Dutch people feel and show themselves involved with the Ukrainians.

The support for support for Ukraine remains as high as ever. And that is important, because the longer this war goes on, the more urgent humanitarian, military and financial assistance to Ukraine is needed. The Dutch government, in close cooperation with EU and NATO allies, continues to do everything possible to ensure that Russian aggression stops and Ukrainians can live in peace and freedom again.
The Netherlands is home to the International Criminal Court and therefore feels a special responsibility for preparing for the trial of war crimes. Due to the great importance of a strong NATO and a strong defense apparatus, the government will continue with the planned additional investments in the armed forces. Our support and thanks go out to our soldiers who work on peace and security worldwide.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has shown that unity and geopolitical influence are an extension of each other. In a world of increasing threats and power politics, strengthened international cooperation is of great importance, both within the EU and with other like-minded countries, such as the United States. The Netherlands supports the principle of 'open strategic autonomy'. Europe must become less dependent on Russia, China and other countries. This applies, among other things, to energy, raw materials and medicines. That is as much a security issue as an economic issue.

4. International

The government is also working on economic resilience and reducing unwanted strategic dependencies in international trade policy. In the field of development cooperation, we focus on the root causes of poverty, terror, irregular migration and climate change. This not only contributes to achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goals, but also to stability and prosperity in the world.

Democracy, freedom and the rule of law are under pressure worldwide. Not only far away, but also on our own continent. It is all the more important that we cherish, protect and strengthen our own democratic constitutional state. It is unacceptable that organized crime undermines our society and infiltrates our streets, neighborhoods and businesses. Threats to journalists, lawyers, politicians and other guardians of the democratic constitutional state, from any angle, are unacceptable. This requires a continuous commitment to safety. For example, by stricter supervision of people in detention.